Posted on by Kit

Ka Ting doubling up as Acting Health Minister – ridiculous, shameful and unacceptable

The proposal that the post of Health Minister left vacant by the resignation of Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek should be left unfilled with the MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting doubling up as Acting Health Minister is most ridiculous, shameful and unacceptable – subordinating the rights and interests of 26 million Malaysians to a world-class medical and health system to the rot and factional infighting in MCA.

It is a reflection of the advanced marginalization, irrelevance and rot of MCA that it has found itself in a dilemma over the appointment of a fourth MCA Minister to the extent there could be the serious suggestion that the post be left vacant until the next general election and that the MCA President double up as Acting Health Minister apart from his portfolio as Local Government and Housing Minister.

The Malaysian public are entitled to know whether the MCA Presidential Council has reached such a decision and whether the MCA President had formally forwarded such a proposal to the Prime Minister – as whether the country has a full-time Health Minister or just a half-time Acting Health Minister is a matter of grave public importance which concerns all Malaysians and not just MCA.

At present, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is also the Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister – and it is no exaggeration to say that this has resulted in the country having the weakest and most ineffective Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister in the nation’s history.

If the vacancy of Health Minister is left unfilled, with Ka Ting doubling up as Acting Health Minister, the message to Malaysians is very explicit – that the Abdullah premiership and MCA leadership are not concerned or interested about efficient, effective and good governance but only in playing politics in Barisan Nasional, whether in the component parties or the coalition!

If the MCA President is not prepared to recommend the appointment of a full-time MCA Health Minister, whether Datuk Ong Tee Kiat, Datuk Donald Lim, Datuk Dr. Ng Yen Yen, Datuk Fu Ah Kiow or Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, then Abdullah should appoint a full-time Health Minister from the other non-Umno Barisan Nasional component parties – as Malaysia deserves a full-time and hands-on Health Minister.

69 Replies to “Ka Ting doubling up as Acting Health Minister – ridiculous, shameful and unacceptable”

  1. “The proposal that the post of Health Minister left vacant by the resignation of Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek should be left unfilled with the MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting doubling up as Acting Health Minister is most ridiculous, shameful and unacceptable – subordinating the rights and interests of 26 million Malaysians to a world-class medical and health system to the rot and factional infighting in MCA”.-Kit
    ======================
    Also sounds fishy isn’t it?

  2. >resulted in the country having the weakest and most ineffective Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister in the nation’s history.

    the internal security minister excercises only one task – to use the ISA

    >MCA President double up as Acting Health Minister apart from his portfolio as Local Government and Housing Minister.

    housng plus health? I can imagine only of the toilet at home

    > If the MCA President is not prepared to recommend the appointment of a full-time MCA Health Minister

    wrong idea. It may be time to invite Uncle Lim to take charge. The minsiters need not have to be from BN

  3. what Kit said are correct..!

    we pay full price/salary for a Health Minister, why should we accept a half past 6 minister… similar to PM holding 3 positions, none of them he’s qualified… but he’s taking 3 full salaries home…

    that’s why our country eventually will go bankrupt…!

  5. I am sorry that only the scandals in the Peninsula made the headlines. In the East, it never ended up with resignation of the politicians.

    In Sibu, we have had a book in circulation (I forgot the excat name, but with the word TIGER), published about a decade or two ago, about the sex scandals of all the well known politicians, mostly those holding Datukships. Several of whom are now the ministers in the state or federal cabinets. The author, a former jounalist, had to hide himself in China after the Book surfaced to the black market. The rumour was that he wrote it for himself (his own writing pleasure?), but because he sent the computer for repair, the file was copied and distributed.

    I think the author has died. But his stories remained. Many people from Sibu are aware of the stories. In my opinion, his stories were possibly true (although I am not in the position to provide any proof and I have no interest in them).

  6. “Fishy” harrisonhandsome

    Agree. The other incidence that makes it rotten fishy was what someone posted yesterday. Dr. Chua’s case was “quickly” a front page Star. (Wong Chun Wai, can you enlighten us?)

    Just who in MCA and the Presidential Committee controls Star? And just who made the recommendation to AAB?

    On the other hand, NPFTZ, whoa.. with RM4.6 b down someone’s pocket, not even an article written. Fishy, real fishy.

  8. Ong Tee Keat or Donald Lim should be most qualified to run the health ministry as they are both engineers and nowadays, high tech equipment for diagnostics, treatments and surgeries are more “computer games” than medicine.

    Also the bad karma of this minister post that 4 out of 5 booted out.

  10. The word is that the video was taped two years ago by sinister elements acting at the behest of You-Know-Who.

    Mr You-Know-Who wants to ensure that he will not be challenged in the MCA election.

    But he will still be challenged. His problems have just begun …

  12. No doubt that appointing another minister of health should not be too difficult. There are even a good number of doctors in the bench. Obviously politics is in play here but exactly what? There can be a few possibility.

    But the main one is that top leadership of MCA leader have not solved the factionalism that plagued them (i.e., the Team A vs. Team B problem). if this is true than, Chua Soi Lek may have the last laugh as MCA goes into crises.

    It is also likely there is a great deal of suspicion on who is responsible for the Chua’s video. There are definitely names being bated about as Chua Soi Lek told the press. They may already have a few key suspect they are trying to gather more proof.

    I say the show has only begun. MCA is definitely going to get killed in the next election and OKT already know he will use this incident to excuse the party. The question then is how to keep his party together and maintain leadership in the face of what will be eventual reduced patronage to distribute? Keeping the health ministry allow him to use that carrot as a dealing card when things get tough later. But keeping the card also worsen the factionalism that could make things worst if the election is too far away.

    OKT need the election to be soon and its why election will definitely be in Mac 2008.

  13. i think it is the most risk adverse route for OKT. Choose A, BCDE will complain and hold grudge, choose B…..on and on and on. Everyone hold grudge, then less focus on GE. But with candy taken away and kept for later, then will bring the best out of everyone.

    But still, OKT…you are only thinking politically…you sure you can handle 2 posts properly? We would expect no less of commitment than those from Chua!

  14. Half-past-six times 2 = tiga-suku, much more of the same.

    Rather than appoint somebody from the “other” camp, OKT decides to take it upon himself the “burden” of another “buta gaji”.

    Why should the Minister of Health position be left vacant?

    Is it not the RESPONSIBILITY of the PM to fill the vacancy? Why does he (PM) have to reserve the post for MCA and do as that party wants? Are Ministries now reserved exclusively for the various political parties? I thought NEP and all the other Ps are supposed to eradicate jobs being identified with race. So now we know. The PM has no powers but merely to fill in the blanks.

    Anyway it is good that OKT has taken up this Health Minister’s post. If the jinx about Heath Ministers ending up in the political wilderness and ending their careers, then it won’t be long before we bid Ong “sayonara” and “happy retirement”.

    I hear PM wants to expand the Cabinet size from the current 32 to a whopping 37 members after the next elections to allow for more “representaion” especially from the many UMNO members who want to be Ministers.

    Why 37? Remember the cigarette “Abdullah 37”? He’s trying to live up to it. But “Abdullah” is also the name of God, so maybe he better be careful.

    Chua Soi Lek. Take care of yourself now that you are out. May those who caused your downfall be quickly caught and brought to justice. They are scums of the earth. I smell entrapment with the perpetrators well prepared and lying in wait.

    But why now? Is there a big story out there some where waiting to come out? Are there more tapes after Lingamgate and now Chuagate?

    Nothing is safe and sacred anymore in this IT age.

  15. HIGHLIGHT:
    At present, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is also the Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister – and it is no exaggeration to say that this has resulted in the country having the weakest and most ineffective Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister in the nation’s history.

    COMMENT:
    Hahahaha, Uncle Kit…. You got it a bit wrong here. This fella, even if you let him hold ONLY ONE POSITION, say Internal Security Minister, he will still be the weakest and most ineffictive Internal Security Minister in the nation’s history.

    I do agree with you that one Minister should not hold two portfolios. Furthermore, they have already bulked up the cabinet with stupid posts such as Minister of Higher Education and Minister of Education (which is supposed to be one Minister only) only to have two non-related subjects such as Housing and Health being hold by one Minister?

    That is crap

    Regards,
    Sagaladoola

  16. I dont undertand why must they must reserve the post for MCA.
    I thought PM got so much power, he actually can appoint anybody, not depend on ong ka ting.

    Any good retired doctor can be a good minister for several month only.

    errr may I suggest Dr.M ?
    hehe

  18. I think OKT is keeping the post until the GE is over so that his brother Ong Ka Chuan can fill in. It is a plan of one stone that kills two birds. OKC has been looking for an excuse to avoid facing Fong Po Kuan in Batu Gajah. This is a perfect opportunity for him to move to Labis, a safe seat.

  24. Short-sleeve Says:
    Today at 17: 13.23 (18 minutes ago)
    Ng Yen Yen should be the Health Minister.
    ———————————————————-

    Ya, good idea, since she herself is a medical doctor and she knows so very little in Finance thus she has nothing to do as the 2nd Finance Minister. And most importantly, she will teach all women in Malaysian how to wear and look sexy to keep their husbands. Later on, she will also teach us how to improve our sex life, not bad huh?! :)

  25. ///Converted to Islam without the knowledge of her husband, six days before her death!///

    I wonder whether a will saying that it is not the intention of the person to be converted to ‘whatever religion’ could hold up so that death bed conversion would not be enforcible.

  26. A mediocre minister is simply multiplying his mediocrity by the number of ministries he controls. By the same token, AAB being in control of 3 ministries isn’t making him any smarter – the country is 3 times worse off because of the excessive mediocrity of Big Ears.

  27. Agree that if the MCA cannot find a suitable candidate, the post should be given to others.

    The Cabinet should contain the best and the brightest and not third-class candidates. Especially since the post will be held for only a few months – can appoint anyone as acting Health Minister.

    Find the whole situation a bit of tragi-comedy and I think the PM should have a more firm hand in the Cabinet. Some Viagra for the hand please!

    http://malaysiawatch3.blogspot.com/2008/01/making-it-easier-for-ministers-to.html

  29. MCA has to show that it is worth its pinch of salt. Ong Ka Ting has never shown to be a charismatic, visionary and brave leader, not in the past, nor at present and it is not expected to be so in the future.

    We all knew he was put there as president of MCA, by default, by Ling Liong Sek, to while time for Ling’s son to take over sooner or later.

    That is the perception of the community who follow the affairs of MCA.

    There is a dearth of leaders in MCA. Those who are good at apple-polishing will have their field days.

  30. I am looking at the carta organisasi KKM now online. There is the Timbalan Menteri and the Setiausaha Parliament. One of them should take over for the time being, especially the Timbalan Menteri. It is only ethical and professional. If not, please do not ever teach anybody about ethics and professionalism. But do continue enlightening us on Malaysian politics.

    Or unless the government do things using ” you start it, you have to end it “. MCA started the whole conflict and so it must be MCA who has to bring reconciliation. And so who has to bear the blunt of it all is none but Dato Ong Kah Ting being the President of MCA.

    Hey ! You still have Dato Chua Jui Meng, no ?

  32. OKT, following TDM’s and AAB’s ‘chiat ka liao’ style, also ‘chiat ka liao’ and pockets another big fat salary. Why worry, there are so many workhorses doing the job for each minister.

    But then the ‘fung shui’ of this MOH post is not good; in fact, it’s lethal, especially for MCA heavyweights.

    OKT might, on second thought, give up the MOH post to UMNO. AAB might appoint the handsome Dr. space traveller to be the new MOH.

  36. “At present, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is also the Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister…” KIT

    This is ridiculous and has made the Malaysian government the subject of public ridicule. It can only mean two things i.e. he has no good candidate to do the jobs or there are contenders for the jobs but for him to favor one and not the other would have an adverse effect on party unity. Or a third – he does not trust any.

  39. “At present, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is also the Internal Security Minister and Finance Minister” YB Lim KS

    How inept he’d be, that Finance Minister post will NEVER go to an non-AMNO. That post will forever be the AMNO president, Deputy or treasurer. Too much to hide. Tan Siew Sin, Tengkuli and Anwar could be the last real Finance Ministers.

  41. Actually MCA doesn’t have good candidate to take up the post of Health Minister.Ka Ting and Kong Choi are not good either as Housing & Local Government and Transport Ministers respectively.It is a disgrace to Malaysians as well as foreigners when our ministers can’t speak proper English.In corporate world,if you can’t speak English,you PhD or MBA are considered rubbish !As far as MCA is concerned,only Tee Kiat,Jui Meng and Soi Lek speak English,the rest are slow learners.

  42. Ong Ka Teng is an idiot for b4 he knows UMNO is going 2 demand for this ministership as well because they will say that there is no-one at all in MCA for the post so “serahkan kepada kami”! Bodoh punya MCA!

  43. In the first video, the woman is seen entering the room about 10 minutes after Dr Chua makes his appearance there.

    They are shown displaying tenderness towards each other while sitting on a sofa, before having sex on the bed.

    They can be heard speaking Hokkien to each other, but the dialogue is inaudible.

    The sound of their lovemaking is not only audible, but reported to be high-pitched as well.

    During the tryst, the woman also seemed to be playing an active part. She can be seen putting a laptop on the bed after drawing curtains and testing the room lights.

    The footage also shows her laying out copies of pornographic movies on bed. While Mr Chua asks in Hokkien: “Which one is good to watch?”

    She replies: “I don’t know. I haven’t watched everything yet.”

    From the above report she seemed professional about it.

  44. Frankly I don’t know what the fuss is about with the GE election around the corner. Whoever, sits as the Health Minister makes no difference because he or she would not be able to perform but just warming the chair for a few months. Actually the right person should be the deputy taking over the acting post.

  45. “…The Cabinet should contain the best and the brightest and not third-class candidates…” HJ Angus

    Since when has Malaysian government appointed the best and brightest for any job? Just look at the vice chancellors of all the public universities and colleges, the heads of public hospitals, the Dato Bandar of all major cities, even the principals of big schools. Race and nepotism are the most important considerations. There may be many Bill Gate in the country but unless they are Malays they will never be appointed to head any large government institution. It is now 2008 AD but Malaysia still has a feudal system of government as in year 2008 BC.

  47. Going forward from what kanthanboy posted, the policies have made us poorer and poorer by the day. Feel it most poignantly since the time TDM took over, our Ringgit keeps on sliding in value against currencies of countries of white majority (in Europe, US, Oz & even NZ) and yellow majority like Japan, Korea, S’pore HK and even China. You feel it keenly when you go overseas convert the Ringgit, it becoming like banana notes. There will come a day when even Malaysians will, like Nigerians, Indonesians, Vietnamese, want US$ instead of their own currencies from foreigners. Our wealth progressively diminishes. We have to earn more or more to keep up with inflation. What can one expect when wastage/corruption is rampant here, we require from the world high value service and product but have nothing to give in exchange, large sections are laid back and rely on state’s subsidies, one of these days we are going to export our own girls as maids or sex workers overseas as economy declines and oil dwindles, I tell you. We’re make big issue of which minister screws who and should resign when as every day passes, we who are wiling to work hard are progressively SCREWED, literally and metaphorically judging by our continuous diminishing networth (go overseas and convert the RM and you’ll know) thanks to “enlightened” political leadership and narrow race/religious policies perpetuated. Can survive and prosper in Malaysia, earn exponentially only if you got good political connections for the marginalised join MCA, MIC, UMNO), keep dignity and morals in back burner, sucker up and bodek, stamp on the weak, ignorant and unsuspecting, walk on edge of the law, look for suckers and exploit the underdog than to help them. Situation turning primodal, KL may have one of the world’s better skylines but turning into a jungle, where law of jungle rules, where Rule of Law may be changed and be subservient to Rule of Power/Influence, Justice depending on who you know and whether there is money to buy. Unncle Kit, we should worry about macro these issues and, for us, how to vote in coming GE, not whether OKT doubles up and triples up minisiterial portfolio. He has his reasons. GE coming, got to hand the post to party stalwarts within MCA shown after GE to have most support and deserving the ministerial post as reward of access to patronage. So he is caretaker, maybe to take a peep at what CSL had done, to dig out and hold as ammunition against political reprisals from He Who Has Fallen.

  48. Looking at the way the government handling CSL case are a big surprise as they get so many department to probe into evidence and even imposed law to stop the distribution whilst trying to catch those behind it.
    To me, it’ll more enlightening to seek the woman to come in to assist the investigation.
    See, in Malaysia .. you must know who.

  49. Speaking of wrong procedure, can someone explain to me how is it the police have a right to investigate the case?

    According to the last interview, Dr. Chua says he is not investigating the matter which means he did not lodge a police report. If this is a case of invasion of privacy, why would the police investigate without a private complain? In fact, even if the police catch the culprit, without Dr. Chua making private charges,there is no basis for investigation.

    If the police is investigating the case because MCA/BN ask it to. What basis do MCA/BN have for filing the complain? As far as they are concern, the perpetrator has done nothing wrong to MCA/BN legally. The same thing if its the home ministry asking the police. Can the home ministry abritrarily get the police to look into cases without a formal complain or legal issue?

    Can someone explain?

  52. Now that the political asassination is over, MCA should get on with the job to ensure the Rakyat is not deprieved of any low standard of healthcare. BTW, KC Chan should really thanked his boss(not MCA, I mean the boss in BN) that his passage to to the MCA throne is safe!

    OKT should offer this post to Ng Yen Yen. It would be a morale booster for ladies to support them further in the next GE. Don’t forget the women votes.

    She is the right person because of her qualifications.

    Over to OKT!

  53. Bigjoe:

    The notion that it takes an official complaint or police report for the police to take action is completely untrue. It depends on who the complainant is, and the nature of the complaint. In Chua’s case, there was no police report lodged, but the act of filming and distribution of the DVDs probably violated a number of Acts of Parliament.

    Of course this country has two sets of laws – one for BN, and the other for the rest of us. If it is expedient for BN to investigate, there is no need for an official report. If it is in BN’s interests to sweep a scandal under the carpet, then ET must come down from the heavens to lodge a report for the police to act.

    What is most galling is that the police have yet to solve a number of high profile crimes like Nurin’s murder, the shooting of 2 police officers on a drug raid, the gang-rapes in the Klang valley, etc, and instead of concentrating resources on these heinous crimes, the government sees it fit to direct the police to investigate what is generally a private affair.

  55. Fact 1: CSL and friend viewed exotic and sexy (blue?) VCD (pirated?) in a hotel room, as recorded in the video.

    Fact 2: CSL and friend acted (knowingly for one party or unknowingly for both parties?) in a steamy blue video in circulation in the country.

    What’s the legal implication? How does the police view these facts?

  56. “Malaysia truly Asia” and “Malaysia truly boleh”! Visit Malaysia 2008!
    Visit Johor 2008!

    While promoting Malaysia and Johor to local and foreign visitors, especially Singaporean visitors, our Tourism Board can also highlight to potential visitors that while they are here shopping, touring, and enjoying our foods, they might also contribute to our growing film and video (visual and sound) industry.

    Come stay in our hotels and be filmed while you are having a bath or a great and creative time with your partner or partners, behind closed doors! No extra charge. It’s all part of our hotels’ liberal and generous ‘Room Service’.

    Potential visitors might buy videos, in which they star, while shopping in, say, Petaling Street, and have lasting impression of Malaysia. How charming!

    Local and foreign visitors, who stayed in the CSL room of that unnamed infamous hotel, must be wondering when they will see their acrobatic acts on video, if they had not already seen them. Are they entitled to a share of the lucrative profits generated?

    Malaysia is getting interesting, day by day!

    Why is our law supremo Nazri so quiet these days?

  57. Wow!! OKT has Local Govt, Buddhist and now Health portfolio as well. Multitasking. We now have supermen ministers in a supersized Cabinet and still we need to multitask.

    Jack of all trades but master of none. It is well known that the Local Govt. is screwed up big time(the potholed roads in my housing estate is so bad yet nothing has been done despite repeated calls to the Majlis Perbandaran) so we are now adding the Health portfolio so it can suffer the same fate? Even CSL full time and a medical professional, we have ambulance screw ups, patients losing arms, etc etc. what now a part time HP6 minister who may not be able to tell the difference between a hospital assistant and a nurse.

    H.P Angus said:

    “The Cabinet should contain the best and the brightest and not third-class candidates.” …………….

    Wistful thinking when ministerial appointments are made on the basis of political expediency rather than quality. I will settle for a full time minister.

  60. i think it appears unfair that CSL has to resign eventhough it is said other Ministers are tainted or have skeletons in their closets

    the fact remains he couldn’t control himself… isn’t he a psychiatrist? couldn’t he treat himself? isn’t he a sex addict?

    whether or not there are factions or there are less than perfect ministers or there are tongue-tied ministers is immaterial

    look at yourself before looking at others

    it’s rather naive to think that in Malaysia he would have been forgiven especially he’s a public figure

    however, he has courage to own up and take responsibilities, for that he has my respect. i will remember him more for owning up than the tape or his weakness.

  61. Pingback: The Malaysian Billboard :: The bang was not in the fireworks.

  62. If Be End keeping winning more than 2/3 in coming GE, the what Tai Lo Chin said will slowly become true (some already true) for Msia, what RM1 get U in term of SG$, NT$, or JPYen, compare 1981 and 2003.
    In Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, North Korea, ppl prefer US$ rather than their local currency. Dont know if Msia be like them in future.
    I used to laugh at friends in Thailand who hv to install water purifiers back in 1985, but now how many ppl in Klang valley don’t hv water purifier? Feel very odd recently when I saw S’porean drink directly their tap water in S’pore.

  63. Ong KT does not even possess a basic Science degree and yet dares to offer himself to be Health Minister

    Japanese proverb: Better go without medicine than call in an
    unskilful physician.

  65. Pingback: MageP’s Lab » Blog Archive » The acting Health Minister, OKT … Next?

  66. Good on you fellow Malaysians!

    After Dr Chua resignation, pig farmers will start using illegal growth enhancer again, import of China medicine will high level of lead will continue; dead rate due to heart attack and diabetes will hit record high again. Oh ya, no forgetting level of ascorbic acid in yellow noodles will increase too.

    Continue your condemnation due to you high morale ground. Oh well, let off suckers like Ling, Chan, Zakaria & Associates to prosper! Hey, are you all sleeping like the Prime Minister too!?

  67. OKT is local government and housing minister; also call minister in charge of ” A Long ” . He can not solve the A long matter yet want to hold one more minister post – minister of Health.

  68. Cinapek, this is an austerity drive (or so) by the BN government. One person assumes various ministerial posts, just like their leader, the PM who is the Prime Minister, Home Affairs Minister and Finance Minister! We have supermen in Malaysia, remember. They are so CAPABLE (in making a mess of the country)!

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